Hand warmer



June 28, 1960 J. w. SMITH HAND WARMER Filed Aug. 1, 19s? INVENTOR. JomvMn. SM/ 11/ ,4 rramvsys United States Patent Ofiice 2,942,601 PatentedJune 28, 1960 HAND WARMER John W. Smith, caste Point, assignor toAladdin Manufacturing Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation ofMinnesota Filed Aug. 1, 1957, Ser. No. 675,593

1 Claim. (Cl. 126208) This application is a continuation-in-part of myabandoned applications Serial No. 352,609, filed May 4, 1953; Serial No.503,533, filed April 25, 1955; Serial No. 575,457, filed April 2, 1956;and Serial No. 651,497, filed April 8, 1957; each for a hand warmer.

The object of the invention is to provide a hand warmer of the generalcharacter as disclosed in the above identified applications including anew and improved burner unit seated in a holder of the hand warmer innovel and improved manner.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this Fig. 5 is a sectionalview, taken on line 55 in Fig. 4. e

A receptacle 10 of the hand warmer is provided by' spaced, parallel sidewalls 11, spaced, parallel end walls 12 and spaced, substantiallyparallel top and bottom walls, denoted 13 and 14, respectively. Thereceptacle consists of upper and lower hollow elements, represented 15and 16, respectively, a lower end portion of said upper hollow elementbeing fixedly secured as at 17, in an upper end portion of said lowerhollow element.

A cover cap 18 for a burner unit 19 of the hand warmer is removablyfitted upon the upper end portions of the side and end walls 11 and 12of the receptacle in such manner that a lower edge 20 of said cover capis engaged against an upper'edge 21 of the lower hollow element 16. Whenthe cover cap is in position upon the receptacle, side and end Walls,represented 22 and 23, respectively, of said cover cap are inlongitudinal alinement with lower portions of the side and end walls ofsaid receptacle.

The receptacle 10 is loaded with absorbent material 24, which can be ofany character suitable to its purpose, and said absorbent material isimpregnated with liquid fuel uniformly distributed throughout the wholeof the absorbent material by capillary attraction.

The burner unit 19 consists of an elongated combustion member 25, anelongated support 26 for the combustion member and a tubular combustionelement 27 housing said combustion member and support.

The elongated combustion member 25 is of asbestos or other suitablefibrous material impregnated with a catalytic agent, such, for example,as platinic chlorid or palladium chlorid, which aids in oxidation offumes from the liquid fuel and causes combustion at a relatively slowrate.

The elongated support 26 is a length of wire having some rigidity coiledto form spaced convolutions upon said inwardly extending, curvedflanges.

. 2 which the elongated combustion member 25 is Wound. Opposite coiledend portions, each indicated 28, of said elongated support are disposedin longitudinal alinement with the elongated combustion member at andexteriorly of the opposite ends of said elongated combustion memher, andcoils of said opposite end portions of the elongated support extendtransversely of the burner unit 19 and are of equal diameter. The coilsof the opposite end portions 28 of said elongated support are inlongitudinally alined relation with the body thereof, as Well aslongitudinally alined with the elongated combustion member 25.

The tubular combustion element 27 desirably may be of spun glassimpregnated with a catalytic agent. In the disclosure as made, thecatalytic agent which impregnates the spun glass of the tubularcombustion element is platinum black, so-called. The catalytic agent ofthe tubular combustion element aids in oxidation of fumes and causesrelatively slow combustion. Said tubular combustion element is in freesurrounding relation to the elongated support 26 and the elongatedcombustion member 25 wound thereon, and the body of said elongatedsupport, said elongated combustion member and said tubular combustionelement are of substantially equal length. The opposite ends of saidbody of the elongated support are substantially in transverse alinementwith the opposite ends of the tubular combustion element, and the coiledend portions, or coils, 28 extend or project to desirably equaldistances beyond the opposite ends, respectively, of the body of saidelongated support and said tubular combustion element.

The top wall 13 of the receptacle 10 is struck upwardly at the centerthereof to provide an upwardly extending, substantially ellipticalflange 29 bounding an elliptical opening through said top wall andupwardly extending, elliptical flange.

A holder 39 for the burner unit 19 is constituted as an-elongated hoodproviding an elliptical skirt 31 removably, more or less loosely, fittedupon the upwardly extending, elliptical flange 29 to be readily andeasily detachable therefrom, and oppositely disposed, inwardly facing,parallel arms 32 extending upwardly from said elliptical skirt inperpendicular relation thereto. Each of the parallel, upstanding arms 32merges at each of the opposite sides'thereof in an inwardly extending,curved flange 33 in perpendicular relation to the elliptical skirt 31and at its upper end in an inwardly extending curved flange 34. Theinwardly extending, curved flanges 34 are integrally interconnected by alongtiudinally extending bar 35 which is disposed at the longitudinalcenter of the holder 30 and extends between the inner edges of The inneredges of the curved flanges 33 at each end of the holder are in the sametransverse plane and parallel with and in spaced relation to theupwardly extending arm 32 at the corresponding end of said holder, aswell as perpendicular to the elliptical skirt 31.

length approaching the length of said tubular combustion element. Thecurved flanges 33 at each end of the holder are spaced apart a distanceslightly greater than the diameter of the burner unit, the curvedflanges 34 and the longitudinal bar 35 are spaced from the ellipticalskirt 31 a distance slightly greater than the diameter of said burnerunit, and the inner'edges of the curved flanges 33 at opposite ends ofsaid holder as shown are spaced bustion element of the burner unit.

Each of the parallel, upwardly extending arms 32-of the holder isstruck'inwardyj and upwardly to provide a 39 at a midportion of thelength of the correspondmg'upwardlyextending arm including an upwardlyfacing supporting surface it) for'tl1e1 burnerunit19."The supportingsurfaces 4:) are situated interiorly of and in alined V relationbetweenthe parm lehupwardly extending arms 32,

in a plane parallel with the longitudinal bar 35 and per;

pendicuiar to saidupwmdly extending and spaced from the inwardlyextending ciuvedflanges 34 a distance but a trifle greater than ameasurement representing the dia'meterof each of the coiled endportions, or coils, 28 of the elongated support as. l The lug 39 at eachend of the holder. is in vert-ical alinement with the curved flange 34at the corresponding end of said holder. Striking the lugs 39inwardlyand upwardly from the parallel, up-

is assembled with the upwardly extending, elliptical flange 29. Toaccomplish assembly of the burner unit with the holder said burner unitis slid into-the open lower end portion of the elliptical skirt andupwardly along the inner surfaces of the parallel, upwardly extendingarms "32' until the .coiled end portions, or coils, 28 of the elongatedsupport 26 approach the elevation of the inwardly and upwardly strucklugs 39. Then said elongated support is collapsed longitudinally to beclear of the inner. ends of said lugs and the'burner unit is moved further upwardly until situated at, elevation above thelugs. Or theelongated support 26 of 'the burner unit canbe- I collapsedlongitudinally to be shorter than a measurement representing the lengthof one of the rectangular openings 39 and made to enter the interior ofthe holder by way j apart a distance less than the length of the tubularcomtop wall 42 of the cover cap provides apertures 44 for passage ofatmospheric air to the burner unit. Apertures 45in the side walls 11 andtop wall 42 of the cover cap also are for the admission of atmosphericair.

An opening 46 in the cover cap, adjacent to a midportion of therectangular opening 38 in the holder 30 and in contiguous relation toi amidportion of the tubular combustion element 27 when the, receptacle 10,said holder, the burner unit 19 and said cover cap are assembled, s'fnre r ing nfi d'por t a cigarette isarj to be; ignited. by employmentof;the handwarmer. I

A wick 47, by employment of which theburner'unit can beignited,..extends' upwardly fronra position where irnbedded inthe-absorbent material 24 to a position where in contiguous relation tosaid burner unit.

A volatile liquid fuel will be poured into the receptacle 10 through theelliptical opening in the upstanding flange 29 while the holder 30 andthe burner unit 19 retained thereby are removed from said; upwardlyextending flange. Theabsorbent material 2 4- will absorb the [liquidfuel and capillary attraction will cause it to be dispersed throughoutsaid absorbent material. Z'Ihe holder 30 will be placed upon theupwardly extending elliptical flange 29 after the receptacle is suppliedwith liquid fuel, and heat applied to the burner unit, as by a flameprovided at'the wick 47 when ignited, will cause combustion tubeinitiated. 1 Of course, the cover cap 13 will be removed. while the.burner unit is being lighted, and replaced'upon said receptacle aftercombustion is established. The flame: at; the wick 47 will beextinguished after ignition of the burner unit, andwhen'said burnerunitbecomes ignited, combustion 'there at will be continuously sustained'The catalytic agent formed upon or within the elongated com:

bustion member 25 and the' tubular combustion element 27 will assist inmaintaining combustion as longi-"as there is 'fuel in the absorbentmaterial 24. .Bothsaid elongated combustion memberand-saidtubular,combustionrelement will glow. No flame will be produced.Heatcreated at the burner unit 'will be imparted 'to the covercap- 18,

of said rectangular opening and seated atits proper and a intendedposition in .said' holder. In the disclosure as made, the elongatedsupport 26 is constituted as a compression coil spring. Each of thecoiled end portions, or coils, 28 of said elongated support will, beclosely circumferentially surrounded by the inwardly extending, curvedflanges 33,134 and seated upon the inwardly and upwardly struck lug 39at the corresponding end of'the holder, and the elongated support willbe under compression between the parallel, upwardly extending arms ofsaid holder, as in Fig. 5 of the drawing, when the burner unit is in itsassembled position. That is, each coiled end portion, or coil, 2801?said elongated support will be positively confined between the internalsurfaces ofthe curved flanges 33, 34 and the upper surface 40 of the lug39 at the same end of the holder when the burner 7 unit and'said holderarein assembled relation. The'construction and arrangement will be suchthat approximately the whole of each of opposite sides of the tubularcombustion element, adjacent the rectangular openings 38,

will beuncovered.

.A top wall 42 of the cover cap 18 is in parallel relation to the bottomwall 14 of the receptacle 10, as well as,in spaced, parallel' relationto thelongitudinally extending bar 35 of the holder 30 when said covercap is on said receptacle. Spaced, downwardly projecting tabs, eachdenoted 43, struck from the top wall of they of i the. receptacle 10.Striking of: the tabs 43 from the aswelljas to the receptacle-10, andsaid povergcap and receptacleiwill beco'mewarmed to give otf heat at apredeterminedly intended temperature I suitable to the purposes of thehand warmer. 1 The cover cap will cont nuously 'conduct heat from thevicinitypf the w ck suflicient in amount to preclude the wick after extnguished from becoming re-ignited;

The parallel,

V inwardly and upwardly struck lugs 39 will retain the elongated support26 -tive, to become readily and easily ignited.

burner unit becoming. extinguished a and the coiled end portions, orcoils, 28. thereof in proper and intended position 1n the holder 30, aswell as retain the burner unit 19 and the tubular combustion element 27thereof; in adjacent relationto. the opening 46 for, reception of theend portions of cigarettes. and. cigars; Said tubular combustioncatalytic agent thereon, or impregnated thereim will re.- tain glowingheat at temperature sufliciently high to cause placed in the opemng 46Proper spacing between the burner V V p absorbent material 24 isnecessary. Otherw1se,,the-cata lytic action will cease.

The elliptical skirt 31 ofthe holder-"3d an be mare led with the upwardextending,

or less loosely assem elliptical flange 29 on holder 30 with burnerdisplaced from said'receptacle. a with burner unit from the receptaclewill the receptacle 10 in order that the unit 19 can be readily andeasily Removal of the holder result in the kind .as herein presented isof A hand warmer oflthef .The" holder with necessitysubjectedtosevere'usage; v burnerunit suffers 'a-fall, with consequentburner unitwill become extinguished, Jor fail'to ignite,.

upwardly extending arms-Gland the element andthe and made Q 19' as he:

shock tend ingto displacethe burnenu'nit from the holder, each; 7

if it becomes displaced from its proper and intended spaced positionrelative to the fuel outlet. It is essential both that the burner unit19 be fixedly seated in the holder 30 in order that it will not becomedisplaced during practical use of the hand warmer, or when the holderwith burner unit is knocked off from the receptacle 10, and that saidholder be fixedly positioned upon said receptacle while the hand warmeris in use, as well as loosely assembled with the receptacle to bereadily and easily displaceable therefrom. The holder 30, assembled withthe burner unit 19 in the manner as hereibefore set forth, stationarilyretains said burner unit in said holder and the construction andarrangement are such that when the cover cap 18 is applied to thereceptacle 10, with the lower edge 20 of said cover cap engaged againstthe upper edge 21 of the lower hollow element 16 of said receptacle, theside and end walls 22 and 23 of the cover cap will be removably fittedupon upper portions of the side and end walls 11 and 12, respectively,of the receptacle sufiiciently tightly to preclude relaitve movement ofsaid cover cap and receptacle during practical use of the hand warmer.That is, the cover cap and the receptacle will be fitted together muchmore tightly than will be the elliptical skirt 31 of the holder 30 andthe upwardly extending, elliptical flange 29 on said receptacle. Thespaced, downwardly projecting tabs 43 on the top wall 42 of the covercap, seated against midportions of the upper external surface of thelongitudinal bar 35 when the cover cap and receptacle are assembled, arefor maintaining the holder in fixed relation to said receptacle. Theholder offers no obstruction to eificient combustion.

The simply and economically constructed device of the invention is, infact, a combination hand warmer 6 and lighter. The device will beoperative for hours upofi a single filling of the receptacle with liquidfuel. The temperature will be a function of the amount of air permittedto contact the burner unit.

What is claimed is:

In a hand warmer, a holder including spaced, oppositely disposed arms infacing relation, ledges struck inwardly from said spaced arms providingspaced, oppositely disposed supporting surfaces contiguous with innersurfaces of the spaced arms at a side of said ledges, and a burner unitconstituted as an elongated support, an elongated combustion memberWound thereon and a tubular combustion element housing said combustionmember and elongated support and situated between said spaced arms, theelongated support including coiled end portions projecting beyondopposite ends, respectively, of a body thereof, the elongated combustionmember and the tubular combustion element, said coiled end portions ofsaid elongated support being in parallel relation to the spaced arms,peripheral surfaces of the coiled end portions being seated on saidsupporting surfaces, respectively, and outermost fiat surfaces of saidcoiled end portions being resiliently engaged against inner surfaces,respectively, of said spaced arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,579,620 Smith Dec. 25, 1951 2,670,728 Smith Mar. 2, 1954 2,715,400Butler Aug. 16, 1955 2,746,138 Smith May 22, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 34,460Austria May 1, 1908

